It would be hubristic for anyone to derive any schadenfreude from Bishop McManus’s weekend adventures. All of us have had lapses in judgment. This does, however, highlight the fact that perhaps the Bishop made an error in judgment also when he barred me from speaking at a Catholic conference in Worcester about the reality of a jihad threat in the interests of dialogue with Boston-area Muslims, almost exactly a month (as it turned out) before two Boston-area Muslims demonstrated the reality of that jihad threat in an unforgettable way.

I hope that eventually Bishop McManus will acknowledge that earlier error in judgment as well. In the meantime, I wish him all the best with his legal and personal travails.

Background:

“My decision to ask Mr. Spencer not to speak at the Men’s Conference resulted from a concern voiced by members of the Islamic community in Massachusetts, a concern that I came to share. That concern was that Mr. Spencer’s talk about extreme, militant Islamists and the atrocities that they have perpetrated globally might undercut the positive achievements that we Catholics have attained in our inter-religious dialogue with devout Muslims and possibly generate suspicion and even fear of people who practice piously the religion of Islam.” –Â Bishop Robert McManus of Worcester, February 8, 2013

Two members of the Islamic Society of Boston set off jihad bombs at the Boston Marathon, murdering three, April 16, 2013.

Bishop Robert J. McManus, head of the Diocese of Worcester, was arrested for driving under the influence this weekend after police stopped him in Narragansett, R.I., police said.

McManus was arrested at 10:32 p.m. Saturday on charges of drunken driving, leaving the scene of an accident, and refusing a chemical test, Narragansett Police Captain Sean Coorigan said. McManus is to be arraigned Tuesday in district court in Wakefield, R.I.

“I made a terrible error in judgment by driving after having consumed alcohol with dinner,” McManus said in the statement. “There is no excuse for the mistake I made, only a commitment to make amends and accept the consequences of my action.”

“More importantly,” he said, “I ask forgiveness from the good people whom I serve, as well as my family and friends, in the Diocese of Worcester and the Diocese of Providence.”

Corrigan told reporters this afternoon that McManus allegedly struck another motorist at the intersection of Bridgetown Road and Boston Neck Road.

The alleged victim followed McManus and called police, who arrested the bishop about 20 minutes later in the Bonnet Shores beachfront community on suspicion of drunken driving, Corrigan said….

One thought on “Schadenfreude & the Anus of McManus”

“That concern was that Mr. Spencer’s talk about extreme, militant Islamists and the atrocities that they have perpetrated globally might undercut the positive achievements that we Catholics have attained in our inter-religious dialogue with devout Muslims and possibly generate suspicion and even fear of people who practice piously the religion of Islam.”

Pardon me while I projectile vomit. Islam has, does and always will undercut all positive achievements everywhere. It is the nature of that particular beast. I’m sorry, is that not obvious YET?! Wakey, wakey, eggs and bakey, Bishop.